


Where do we go from here?

by lilies_in_a_vase



Series: Season 2 Aftermath Fics [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Abuse, Abusive Neil Hargrove, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Another Season 2 Finale fic, Billy Hargrove Needs a Hug, Child Abuse, Gen, Good Parent Joyce Byers, Hopeful Ending, Hospitals, Hurt Billy Hargrove, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Joyce Byers is Mum of the Year, Maxine "Max" Mayfield Needs a Hug, Neil Hargrove Being an Asshole, Neil Hargrove is His Own Warning, Neil Hargrove's A+ Parenting, Once while I was writing it, POV Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Post-Stranger Things 2, Protective Joyce Byers, Protective Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Season 2 Episode 9, This has been read through twice., and one quick skim read as I was putting it up here, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25906243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilies_in_a_vase/pseuds/lilies_in_a_vase
Summary: A season 2 Finale fic, where Max finds out what it really means for Billy if he doesn’t follow his father’s instructions on Respect and Responsibility.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove & Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Joyce Byers & Billy Hargrove, Joyce Byers & Maxine "Max" Mayfield
Series: Season 2 Aftermath Fics [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992205
Comments: 19
Kudos: 212





	Where do we go from here?

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING:  
> This work deals with abuse of a teenager. 
> 
> So this thing is my attempt to get over the writer’s block I’ve developed in regards to my other two series in this fandom, wherein I know roughly what needs to happen, but I cannot figure out the right words to express it. It is incredibly frustrating. And if anyone who’s reading this one is waiting for an update on the others: I’m sorry! I will get to it! Thank you for reading my fics! 
> 
> The title is what it is because I hate coming up with titles, so I literally went with the first thing that popped into my brain. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I don’t own Stranger Things. Not really shocking news, but oh well.

Max doesn’t think she’s ever been this tired. 

It’s bone deep, sinking into her and making her slump into the backseat of Hopper’s car. 

Billy’s in the seat beside her. He’d been surprisingly compliant, getting in without arguing when Nancy got into the Camaro to follow behind them. Max supposes it’s because of the sedative still working through him. 

He’d still been passed out when they got back. And he’d stayed passed out throughout the yelling - from Hopper - and celebrating - from everyone else - so Max had actually started worrying that she’d killed him or something. 

She may not like him, may even hate him a little bit, but that doesn’t mean that she wanted him  _ dead _ . 

He’d woken up with a flinch when Hopper slapped his cheek and dragged him, stumbling, out to his car with Max and Nancy quickly following behind. 

Max glances quickly at him now. He’s leaning against the door, head resting against the window with sweaty locks of hair plastered to his face, gaze turned towards his knees. His hands are resting in his lap, shaking. 

She doesn’t notice it at first, doesn’t hear it, but his lips are moving. He’s mumbling something to himself. Max thinks it sounds like “shit, shit, shit...”.

She turns her head away to look out the window. Hawkins’ passing by outside. It’s strange to imagine this is the same town. Max feels like she’s changed so immeasurably in such a short time she can’t wrap her head around the rest of the world still being the same. But it is. She’s going to go back to school, have normal lessons, with ordinary teachers, and at home the same simple family is waiting for her. The night doesn’t look any different than any other night. 

Her musings are cut short by the sudden cackling laughter from beside her. Her head jerks sharply to stare at Billy. 

He’s still sitting in the same position as before, although he’s leaning more forward. It starts as deep rumble from his throat, and at first Max isn’t sure if it’s him making the noise because she’s never heard Billy sound like that, but his shoulders are shaking. He sounds manic. 

Billy turns to look at her, then. Still laughing. “He’s gonna be _so mad_ , Maxine. So fucking mad, oh my god. You don’t even realise what you’ve done, you little bitch.”

There are tears in his eyes. Max recoils. He’s insane. He’s actually insane.  _ What the fuck is wrong with him? _

“Hey! Cut it out!” Hopper shouts from the front. He’s looking at them through the rear view mirror. “I’ve had a long night, so shut up and sit still. You can just count yourself lucky that Steve decided not to press charges.” 

Billy seems to deflate a bit at that. He leans back against the window again, but Max can still hear giggling from him every now and then.

Hawkins has never felt bigger. She just wants to get home. Wants to go lie down and sleep in her bed. Wants Billy to fuck off and let her be. She can’t stop herself from letting a small satisfied smile grace her lips. Perhaps he will, now. Now that she’s proven to him what she can do if he upsets her. 

They finally get to her street and Max sees Nancy drive ahead to park the Camaro. Her house is the only one with any lights on. Max had hoped that her mum and Neil would have gone to bed, but oh well. 

She doesn’t realise that they’ve yet to come up with a plan for what she’s been doing until Nancy is getting in beside Hopper and Max is on her way to the front door, Billy stumbling after her. 

Shit. 

It’s too late to do anything about it now, though, and Max is just grateful that Hopper didn’t follow them to the door and she’d have to explain why she’s being brought home by the Chief of Police. She hopes they didn’t see him drop them off. 

Max doesn’t wait for Billy to catch up to her, she just turns the key and opens the door. Immediately, she hears her mum’s voice ring out. 

“ _Neil!_ Neil, they’re home!” 

Susan comes rushing in and falls to her knees in front of Max. She pulls her in close and squeezes her like Max’ been gone for years and not a couple of hours. Then she’s pulling back, and puts one hand on Max’ arm and the other on her cheek. 

“You’re okay, sweetie? Maxie? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?” 

“I’m fine, mum.” She’s not, not really. She’s exhausted, and she’s scared. But she also feels strong. She stood up to monsters, real monsters, and to Billy, tonight. 

So why does she suddenly feel like crying? 

“Do you have any idea how late it is?” Great, Neil’s there. Max doesn’t really mind Neil. Her biggest problem with him is that he tries to act like her dad too much. He’s not her dad, he’s just the man her mum married. Her dad is still in California. Her dad bought Max her first skateboard. Her dad calls her once a month and talks with her for an hour or more. Neil yells at Billy, which is good, because he seems to be the only person who can hold any control over her stepbrother. Billy’s a dog and Neil holds his leash. The issue is just that in an attempt to act like a father to her, he makes Billy her babysitter. Max does not need a babysitter.

“No. Sir”, Billy says from beside her. He’s slurring his words. 

Neil nods. “You drunk?” 

Max isn’t looking at Billy, so she can’t see the expression he makes. Both she and Susan have their heads turned up towards Neil. For a second Max is afraid Billy’s going to tell his dad everything Max did. She doesn’t know what Neil would do, but she can imagine it would involve a lot of yelling and probably some grounding and disappointed looks from her mother. 

“No, sir. I’m not drunk.” He leaves it at that, and Max almost sighs in relief. She doesn’t, only because it would expose her. 

Neil laughs, a cold, harsh sound. Nothing like how laughter is supposed to sound. It’s almost worse than Billy’s back in the car. “I told you to go out and look for your sister, and you went and got drunk, drove home while under the influence with your little sister in the car with you, and now you have the audacity to lie to me? Okay.” He turns his gaze from Billy to stare at Max. “And where were you all this time?” 

Max doesn’t know what to answer. Her mind draws a blank and she comes up with a whole lot of nothing. But then the strangest thing happens. Billy saves her. 

“She was at one of her little friends houses.” 

“We were playing DnD. We forgot the time. The others were going to sleep over”, Max adds, and hopes it’s good enough. Hopes they’ve been worried enough and are now tired enough to accept it. 

Neil nods again. “Go to bed, Susie. We have work early tomorrow. Max, go take a shower. There’s dirt all over you. Billy... come with me.” He’s taking the charge. _The man of the house._

Max never wants someone to boss her around like that. But it works in her favour, tonight. Because her clothes _are_ full of dirt, and it means she can go to bed clean, and her mum won’t hover around her and try to help when Max can’t tell her anything about this night, and Neil’s probably going to yell at Billy instead of her. It’s not... it’s not Billy’s fault that they’re home so late, but Max had more important stuff to do, and he was horrible, so it’s not like he doesn’t deserve getting yelled at, anyway. 

She leaves Billy with his dad, and goes after her mum to the hallway outside the bathroom and bedrooms.

Susan hugs her once more and kisses her forehead. “I’m so glad you’re home safe again.” And then she’s walking away and closing the door to the master bedroom behind her. 

Max slips into the bathroom and locks the door. She’s just turned on the water and stepped into the tub when she hears something crash to the floor outside. She stops for a second to listen, but she can’t hear anything else, so she assumes Billy must have thrown something in anger or frustration to whatever Neil said. That just means that Neil’s going to yell at him some more, might even ground him or take away his music or something, which is less of a punishment than what Billy deserves. Still, she does feel satisfied to know that he’s getting punished by someone other than Max. 

It takes her a while to get all the grime off of her. She’s not even certain what’s on her at this point. Dirt, Upside-Down ashes, sweat, maybe a bit of blood. She’d feel better if she’d be able to wash her hair as well, but she doesn’t want to go to bed with wet hair and can’t bother drying it, so she’ll just have to put her hair up in a ponytail or something tomorrow. 

Eventually she deems herself clean enough and puts her towel around herself before stepping out into the hallway. The house is dark by now, and silent. Max assumes everyone must have already gone to bed. 

She dries herself off in her room and just as she’s about to put on her pyjamas she hears a scream. It’s chocked, obviously not meant to have slipped out, but all that goes through Max’ head is that they somehow failed, and those demodogs have followed her home and are attacking her family. 

She’s frozen in fear, and all she can do is listen. She’s expecting to hear that sound they made when they came running through the tunnel, but instead she hears Neil’s voice, shouting. Max can’t make out what he’s saying, but he sounds angry. Not afraid. So he must still be yelling at Billy. But then who screamed? Or did she imagine it? 

Max has almost managed to convince herself that it’s her tired mind playing tricks on her, as it’s the only rational explanation that makes sense, when it comes again. Another chocked, pain filled desperate scream. 

She quickly pulls on her pyjama shirt and presses her ear to the door. This time she hears what Neil says, and it fills her with dread. 

“Shut up, you stupid boy! Do you want to wake up your sister, huh, is that it?! Do you want her to see this? She’s not going to care, Billy. You deserve this. She could’ve been hurt!” 

There’s no scream this time, but it isn’t needed. Max has heard enough. And it’s starting to paint a pretty ugly picture in her mind. 

She presses the light switch so her room turns dark and quickly climbs into bed, pulling the covers all the way up to her chin. Her back is to the door, and it doesn’t feel safe, not with what she’s heard, but if she turns her back on the window she won’t be able to see the demodogs should they appear. And she doesn’t think Neil would hurt her. 

She can’t wrap her mind around it. Neil is... Neil is hurting Billy. There’s a hallway separating them, but it feels like an ocean. Like he’s on one end of the Pacific and Max is on the other. She realises that while they live in the same house, they do not live in the same family. 

Part of her wants to believe that this is a one time thing. That Neil has never done this before, and that’s why Billy screamed. The other alternative would just mean that Neil’s hurt him so bad he couldn’t stay silent, which he must have been able to do before if this isn’t the first time. Max doesn’t like that alternative. But... an awful lot of things are starting to make sense, now. Why Billy always gets so angry if she isn’t on time, why Billy’s dad is the only one he seems to listen to without argument, why Billy’s had bruises Max hasn’t been able to explain. 

She hears Billy’s door open and close, hears the water turn on and off in the bathroom, and then Neil’s footstep stop outside her door. Max closes her eyes and tries to relax, let’s herself breathe deeply, and when he opens her door he doesn’t turn the light on. He just sighs, and then Max hears him say in the gentlest whisper possible: 

“Sleep tight, Maxine.” It’s such a contrast to the voice he’s used less than ten minutes ago. Max feels nauseous.

About five minutes after Neil’s left and Max has heard him close her mum and his bedroom door, it starts up. The sobbing. Max has never heard Billy cry. And she can now say it is not a sound she likes. 

She waits perhaps five minutes more just in case someone will get up and check on him, before she’s throwing off her covers and making sure she’s quiet on her way out of her bedroom. The first floorboard outside creaks, Max knows, so she avoids that one entirely. The sobbing’s louder, in the hallway. 

Billy’s bedroom is opposite hers, just a few steps ahead, and she’s careful to not make a noise as she pulls his door handle down. The sound isn’t coming from his bed, as Max had hoped, but rather from the floor by his dresser. She switches the light on, and has to hold in a gasp. 

He looks worse than Steve did. Much worse. Billy’s curled up on the floor, his hands pulled in to his chest, one holding the other. There’s blood in his hair. And on his face. And on the floor. And he’s sobbing. He’s really sobbing. There’s tremors running through his whole body with every gasping breath. 

“Billy...”, Max breathes, and watches as the sound makes him flinch. It’s like he hadn’t realised someone was in there with him until she’d said something, even though it had been dark when she’d stepped in. She wonders if whatever had been in that syringe she injected him with could have messed up his senses this bad. 

He starts breathing quicker, now that he’s realised he’s not alone. Max takes a step closer, but he flinches again.

“No, no, dad, please, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m gonna do better, I promise, I promise, please, dad, please, sir, sir, please, please...” 

_He thinks she’s his dad._ Max bites her tongue and sits down, tries to show him how small she is. Usually, Max always wants to appear bigger, but not now, no, not now, now she wants him to see her as the almost-fourteen year old girl she is, not the big, middle aged man he thinks she is. 

“It’s Max, Billy. Neil’s not here. He’s not. It’s just me.” 

She catches his eyes, and sees some recognition filter back in. They’re hazy. 

“Max...”. Her name is said in an exhale. There’s something slightly crazed in his eyes, but mostly it’s just fear. “Here to finish the job? Did you bring your bat with you?”

This time it’s her turn to flinch back. “What?” Max says, horrified. “No, I... Billy, I’m...”  _ what? _ She’s  _ what? _ She’s not sorry for what she did. He had to be stopped. He was totally out of control, and she had to stop him. And he should be punished for what he did to Steve. And how he threatened Lucas. But he doesn’t deserve this. 

Billy uncurls, slightly. Relaxes his hold on his arms. And Max sees the fingers on his right hand are turned in a direction they should decidedly  _ not _ be in.  _ Jesus Christ _ . What did Neil  _ do _ to him? There’s blood on his belly, as well, Max sees. 

It gives her an out. 

“I’ll be back”, is all she says, before she’s standing up and going back to her own room. 

She digs out the walkie she got, and walks over to the living room. As far away from the bedrooms as she can come, just to make sure nobody hears her. 

“Hello? Please, is anyone there? I need help. Guys, I need help.” It’s silent for so long Max is afraid there’s not going to be an answer. That this is it. She’s all alone.

But then that wonderful static crackle comes from the other end, and Max could cry from relief. 

_ “Max? Max, is that you?”  _

It’s Joyce. It’s Joyce and her warm gentle voice that sounds like what it feels to be enveloped in the best hugs ever. Max is so happy it’s Joyce. 

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s me.” Her voice cracks at the end. 

_ “What’s going on, honey? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” _ Max didn’t realise she was. She drags a hand over her eyes.  _ “Did you... did you have a nightmare?”  _ Joyce asks from the other end. 

“No, I...” She swallows. “Is Hopper there?” 

_“He drove Steve to the hospital. I think he’s still there.”_

“Oh.” Even to her own ears, Max’ voice is tiny. 

_ “Can I help you, Max? Why do you need Hopper? Did something happen?”  _

“I... It’s Billy. My stepdad, Neil, he... he hurt Billy. He  _ really _ hurt him. He needs a hospital, Ms. Byers.” She starts crying for real, then. It’s like... it hasn’t really felt like reality. Max just found out what Neil does to his son, and it felt like a bad dream, this whole night, but now she’s telling someone,  _ an adult _ , and suddenly it’s like it’s become more  _ real _ . This is something that’s actually happening. Something that has been going on for who knows how long. 

_ “Okay, Max, listen. Can he walk? ...Can he stand up?”  _

“I don’t know. He broke his fingers.” 

Max can’t make out what Joyce mutters under her breath, but she doesn’t think Joyce meant for her to hear, either. 

_“Okay. Alright. I want you to try to help him to your front door, can you do that, Max? I remember your address, don’t worry. I’ll be there soon.”_

“Okay. Thank you.” 

_ “Don’t worry, honey. I’m glad you called. I’m just going to tell Jonathan where I’m going. See you soon.”  _

Max leaves her walkie in the arm of her coat, and walks back to Billy. He’s still lying where she left him, still trembling. Max hopes he’s still so out of it that he won’t argue with her, and only feels a little guilty over it. 

She crouches down beside him. “Give me your arm.”

He pulls both of them closer to his body instead, protective, and looks at her with suspicion. “Why?” 

Max sighs. “I’m not going to hurt you”, she says, and winches. 

“Then tell me why.” 

“I called someone. She’s going to help you, okay? But you need to cooperate, and we can’t argue about this, because Neil will hear.” 

Billy’s eyes close tight at the mention of his father, and Max wonders if he’s trying not to cry. But slowly, he starts to pull himself up, one armed and shaky, until he’s sitting on his knees, at which point he starts to tilt towards the side back to the floor. Max catches him, and drapes his left arm over her shoulders. 

Together, they stand up, and if Max hadn’t been expecting Billy’s legs to give out they’d have toppled to the floor and probably have woken both Susan and Neil. As it is, Max manages to hold him up until he gets his feet back under.  


Then they begin the slow, hard journey to the front door. They have to stop several times for Billy to not collapse, and every time they make a noise that’s a little too loud Max’s heartbeat quickens. It feels like it’s close to racing by the time Max grabs her coat and gently closes to front door behind them. She lowers both herself and Billy to the pavement, not minding it when he leans against her, even though he’s probably getting blood on her pyjamas. 

Joyce pulls up soon after, and quickly gets out and rounds her car to fall to a crouch beside Billy. She looks up and meets Max’ eyes. She’s frowning. 

“How long has he been passed out?” 

“What?” Max says and moves to look down at Billy. His eyes are closed, and it’s only now that she realises he’s like a dead weight against her. “Shit! _Billy!_ ” Max starts to move but stops when Billy starts falling down because she’s not there to hold him up. 

Joyce squeezes his arm and places a hand on Billy’s cheek. “Hey, Billy. Wake up. Come on, Billy. We’ve got to get you into the car. Billy?” 

Max hears him let out a low groan. 

“That’s it, hon. Come on. Hey. Hey. There you are.” Joyce looks up at her. “Can you open the door to the backseat?” 

Max nods and stands up, Joyce keeping Billy from toppling over, and goes to do as she’s been asked. When she turns around Joyce has gotten Billy to somewhat wake up, but he’s leaning heavily against her as she helps him to the car. 

Max goes around and gets in on the other side. Billy... Billy doesn’t go to sit in his seat. He starts to lie down, curling up on himself, and Max can already tell he’s not going to fit, so she takes hold of his shoulders and guides him down so his head ends up in her lap. Joyce smiles at her through the rear view mirror once she gets in. 

They hit a bump in the road, and Billy whimpers, so Max grabs his left hand tightly in hers and relaxes when he doesn’t pull back. 

Strangely, she thinks this is the closest she’s ever been to Billy, at least when they aren’t being antagonistic. It’s sad, she thinks. It’s really freaking sad. But then again, maybe they didn’t understand each other well enough before. Maybe they will, after tonight. 

Joyce helps Billy out once she’s parked in the car park outside the hospital E.R. Max hovers around them, in case they’ll need help on the way inside. 

It’s empty once they get there, except for the reception, and Max counts themselves lucky. Joyce helps Billy down into a chair by the wall in the waiting area, so that he has something to lean against. She places a hand on Max’ shoulder and guides her to the reception. 

“I’m not his legal guardian”, is the first thing Joyce says. Max gets the distinct feeling this isn’t the first time Joyce has been to the E.R. “So I don’t know what his insurance is or anything. His name is Billy Hargrove, though.” 

“William”, Max says, because she thinks it might be important. “His name is William.” 

Joyce gives a small smile. “William Hargrove, then. This is his stepsister, Max, she called me and asked me to come pick them up. I’m the mother of one of her friends. Billy’s father... his father did that to him. He’d been passed out for a little while when I came. And his fingers are broken.” Joyce sighs. “I’m sorry, is that what you need to know? I... it’s been a while since I was here.” 

“It’s okay”, the receptionist says. She looks sympathetic. “I’m going to send for a nurse. Is she okay?” She nods towards Max. 

“He doesn’t hit me. I’m fine”, Max says.

Joyce grimaces, nods, and starts to turn away, but stops herself. “I- Do you know if Chief Hopper is still here? I know he came in with a teen some hours ago. I think we... I think we’d like to report a crime.” 

The receptionist nods. “I’ll check.” 

“Thank you”, she says and leads Max back to Billy. It doesn’t take long for a nurse to come by and ask them to follow after her. She seems to be in her early fifties, and introduces herself as Nurse Peterson. 

She takes them to an examination room, and hands Billy a gown which she asks him to change into. He needs help to get his right hand through the sleeve of his shirt, but once it’s off Max gets her first good look on his upper body and it is not a pretty sight. 

Max wants to cry. Had she been just a few years younger, she’d have turned around and hidden her face against Joyce’s shirt. But she’s not a kid, she’s a teenager, and some part of her is telling her to look at what she caused. The other part now knows Neil would have hurt Billy no matter what, and knows that she needed to protect her friends, but had she gone home when Billy came, or had she not injected him, then it probably wouldn’t be this bad. 

Other than his broken hand and busted up face, there are bruises everywhere. And two bloody marks on his side and belly, in the shape of a belt buckle. Max feels like throwing up.

He’s still so out of it that he doesn’t protest when the nurse helps him out of his jeans. Max glances down on the floor though, because she doesn’t think Billy wants to her to see it. 

She’s concentrating so hard she’s pretty sure she can make out a smudge of something on the white-grey floor. She wonders how often they clean it. It must be pretty often, because everything smells like antiseptic. And yet, there’s a smudge. She wonders what it is. 

“Was he drugged?” Nurse Peterson asks, and Max looks up to see her pulling a light away from Billy’s eyes. He’s sitting up on the bed, leaning back his weight on his left hand. 

“I don’t know”, Joyce  ~~ lies ~~ says from beside her, and Max shrugs. Because what else can she do. She can’t say  __ ‘Yeah, I injected him with a syringe of which’s contents I was unsure of, just to stop him from going berserk on my friends, because earlier tonight part of me really hated him, but now I’m worried and scared and please don’t throw me out of his room.’  
  


“Okay then”, Nurse Peterson says. “Well, you’re going to have to be sent to get X-rayed. But first I want to listen to your lungs. We’ll start with the back. Lean forward.” She goes around to stand behind him. He still hasn’t moved. “William?”

“I’ll fall. I’m dizzy.” It’s the first time Max hears his voice since she helped him out of the house. It sounds like gravel. 

Nurse Peterson looks up at Joyce but she’s already started moving. She puts her hands on his shoulders and moves him forward. “Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.” Max watches as Billy lets his head rest on her shoulder. 

“Okay. The stethoscope’s a little cold.” 

Max still hears him whimper when it touches his skin. She feels useless. She’s just standing there, wringing her hands. 

“Good. Alright. Now the front.” 

Joyce steps back as the nurse comes back around and starts listening to Billy’s front. She walks over to Max’ side and puts a hand around her shoulders, pulling her in close. 

“I’m going to listen to your abdomen as well, but I think that’ll be easier on you if you lie down.”

Billy’s breathing hard by the time he’s managed to lie down. The nurse doesn’t say anything, just pulls his gown up so she can see his belly. She listens for a while, then nods to herself and pulls the gown back down. The stethoscope is once again hung around her neck, and she turns to look at Billy. 

“There’s blood in your hair”, she says. “Where is it coming from?” 

“Don’t shave it off!” Billy immediately says, louder than he’s said anything yet. 

Nurse Peterson looks a little amused. She raises her eyebrows. “Where is it coming from?” 

“My forehead. I promise. I promise it’s not under the hair.” 

“Okay. I believe you. But I’ll still have to check. Tell me if it hurts somewhere.” 

She walks over to the head of the bead, so she ends up behind Billy again. He flinches when she first puts her hands in his hair to start looking through it, but he doesn’t stop her. 

Then they all hear him sniff. She’s been going through his hair for perhaps a minute, and it’s such an unexpected sound it makes them all pause. There are tears falling down the sides of his face, leaving trails in the dried blood there. 

“William? Does it hurt?” 

“Please don’t cut my hair. Please. Mum had long hair. Dad said... dad said he’d make me cut it.” 

Max can’t imagine Billy with short hair. It’s wrong. _‘When?’_ she wants to shout. _‘When did he say that?’_

She hears Joyce exhale, and glances at her. She looks close to crying. She looks like she’s barely stopping herself from going to him. Joyce is a mother at heart. A mother of two boys. 

Then Billy lets out a sob in the otherwise silent room, and Joyce is moving away from Max and leaning down to stroke his tears away. Nurse Peterson looks grateful, and proceeds with her examination.

Once she’s done she steps back and smiles gently at them. “I’m just going to get the syringe to draw some blood”, she says, and steps away to the counter at the far wall. 

Max sees Billy’s eyes widen, and his chest start to rise and fall more rapidly. 

“Joyce”, she calls, and she glances at Max from over her shoulder. “He doesn’t like needles.” 

Which means he probably doesn’t want to see Max at all right now. After all, it was only a few hours ago that she forcefully injected him from behind. She hadn’t thought about it all, then. He’s never said anything, but Billy’s always gotten shaky and weird when it comes to needles, so she’s had her suspicions. She should leave. 

But then Billy shocks her again. She sees his hand clench and unclench, and he turns his head to meet her gaze. 

“Max...” 

“Yeah?” Her voice is barely above a whisper. 

“D-Don’t go.” 

Joyce turns around and reaches out a hand for her. She moves away for Max to be able to step up, but she’s still there, close by. In case Max needs her. 

Billy takes her hand and clenches his eyes shut. “Tell me when it’s over.” 

“Okay”, Max whispers back. 

Nurse Peterson comes back then, but Max isn’t looking at her. She’s watching Billy. Billy, with his beaten up face, and bloody hair, and tear stained cheeks. 

“All done”, Nurse Peterson says, just as a knock comes at the door. She takes off her gloves and goes to open it. 

Hopper’s on the other side. He looks about as tired as Max feels. There’s also a woman beside him. 

“They told me you might show up”, Nurse Peterson says and steps aside to let them in. The woman follows the nurse over to the counter and they start to speak quietly. 

“Jesus Christ, Hargrove”, Hopper says as soon as his eyes land on Billy. Billy doesn’t answer, just squeezes Max’ hand a little tighter. Hopper looks over to Joyce. “Hi, Joyce.” 

“Hi Hopper. Jonathan’s taking care of the kids.” Hopper nods and Max realises El must be at the Byers’ still. She hopes they’re all doing okay. Hopes they’re sleeping, without any nightmares to haunt them. 

The woman comes over, then, and introduces herself as Dr. Foster. She asks them to step out so she can speak to Billy privately, and so Max is ushered out of the room along with Joyce and Hopper. They end up in the practically deserted hallway outside. 

“What happened, Max?” Hopper asks as soon as the door has closed behind them. He’s frowning, a wrinkle forming between his eyebrows. 

Max sighs, and tries to remember everything that’s happened these last few hours. There’s a clock on the wall down the hallway, and a quick glance tells her it’s almost five in the morning. She’s so tired. “We went inside when you dropped us off, and mum and Neil were still awake. Mum was worried. Neil was... Neil was angry. He kept accusing Billy of being drunk, because... because  _ I _ drugged him, and he made Billy seem irresponsible by saying he’d driven me home like that, and Billy kept calling him  _ ‘sir’ _ like always, but I, I didn’t think about it before, but that’s  _ weird _ , right, and then Neil asked where I’d been and I didn’t know what to say but Billy said I was at a friends house, and then I said we played DnD and forgot the time, and I think they believed me, because he told mum to go to bed and told me to shower and t-told Billy to  _ go with him- _ “ 

“Max, Max, honey.” Joyce crouches down in front of her. “Slow down. Breathe. You’re going to be okay.” 

Max nods, takes a couple of seconds to just breathe and gather her thoughts. She’s close to crying, again. She doesn’t want to. She’s already cried once tonight.

“Mum kissed me goodnight, I went to take a shower, and I heard something crash to the floor, but I assumed Billy threw something in anger. Neil usually yells at him. Neil yells at him all the time. But I didn’t think he  _ hurt _ him! Not like that.” 

“It’s not your fault, Max”, Hopper says, and there seems to be some sort of silent communication passing one between him and Joyce. “People like that... they’re great at manipulating. At hiding what they truly are. It’s not your fault.” 

“Okay.” Her voice sounds so small. Max doesn’t want to be small. She’s strong. “It was quiet when I got out. I thought they were all sleeping. But then, when I got to my bedroom, I heard a scream. I thought I imagined it, at first. That the Upside-Down was... yeah. But then it came again. And I heard Neil shouting at Billy to be quiet, because he’d wake me up with his screams. And I hid underneath my covers. I hid until Neil came.”

“He went into your bedroom?” The pencil in Hopper’s hand looks close to breaking from how hard he’s clutching it. 

“He told me to sleep tight. He sounded so kind. It was so weird. Then Billy started sobbing, and I waited until I knew Neil wasn’t coming back out, and then I went to Billy. He was on the floor by his dresser. He didn’t... he didn’t recognise me, at first. He thought I was Neil. And once he realised who I was, he still... he still thought I’d hurt him. I saw his hand, then. The fingers were broken. So I went to the living room and tried to call any of you on the walkie, and Ms. Byers picked up from Will’s end, so I told her I needed her to come and help me. And she did.” Max turns to look gratefully at Joyce, and she smiles back at her. “I went back and helped Billy out. He could barely walk. He passed out while we waited, but then Ms. Byers managed to wake him up and helped him into the car. That’s it.” 

“Thank you, Max”, Hopper says with a tired smile.

“What will you do now?” Joyce asks. 

“Now I’ll go back to the waiting room and drive Steve home, and then I’ll go and arrest that son of a bitch.” 

He tells Joyce he’d like her to come in during the afternoon and describe her side, but Max isn’t really listening. She feels like she can finally rest. Maybe Joyce is right, and they _are_ going to be okay. Max knows that she’s going to do everything she can to make it so, at least. It’s all anyone can do.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> If you liked it (or want to tell me how I can improve) please leave a comment and/or kudos! 
> 
> As a sidenote, does anyone know what the fuck was in that syringe Max injected Billy with? Where did they get it from? What was it doing at the Byers’ place? I can’t remember and I really don’t want to re-watch the whole thing just for that. If you know, please help me out!


End file.
